Burning Down the House: The End of Juvenile Prison by Nell Bernstein takes readers into juvenile justice, giving them an in-depth look at youths’ life behind bars in America’s juvenile prison system. Bernstein discusses the challenges the system had faced since its inception in colonial days when it was established to handle young pauper boys creating mischief. From the beginning, we have sought ways to reform how delinquent youth are handled. Bernstein sits down with dozens of children and juvenile justice experts of various races, genders, and backgrounds to combine first-person interviews with current statistics. Readers hear first-hand horrific things inside some state juvenile prisons that provide everything except what is needed to put youth on the right path.

As youth enter the system, the one thing that seems forgotten is these young people are still developing and figuring out life. Bernstein addresses many issues prompting readers to question the current juvenile justice system through interviews. Critical points in the book include:

Youth of color comprise 38% of the general population but 72% of incarcerated youth, making the rates disproportionate to their white counterparts.
When youth are placed in these prisons, they are stripped of support, which is essential for their proper development.
Improper treatment from facility operators teaches youth that authority can be “corrupt without limits or moral boundaries.”
The experience in juvenile prisons often leaves youth with trauma scars. Studies show trauma is a predictor of future incarceration.
Discussions regarding alternative treatments, such as Multisystemic Therapy programs, instead of the traditional incarceration or residential facility for delinquent youth.

Bernstein concludes the book by calling for the system to better understand the young people they are charged with and reminds us that reform is a group effort between the community and the juvenile justice system to provide better environments inside and outside these facilities.

This is an excellent read for those familiar with and new to juvenile justice reform and those who want to learn more about what reforms need to be implemented. In closing, Berstein reminds us; there are youth behind bars now who can’t afford to waste the time it takes for America to come up with what Berstein calls “incremental reform.” Youth continue to grow and lose their childhood behind bars during the time it takes to develop change, so the call for change is urgent.

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Burning Down the House – The End of Juvenile Prison - A Reader's Thoughts